Abstract: Cyclic dinucleotides are described, which in contrast to their natural congeners carry lipophilic nucleobases and have higher membrane permeability and increased biological activity.

Abstract: A highly efficient method of making a primary cell derived biologic by purifying mononuclear cells (MNCs) in a automated cell processor to remove contaminating cells by loading leukocytes onto lymphocyte separation medium (LSM) and centrifuging the medium to obtain purified MNCs, storing the MNCs overnight in a closed sterile bag system, stimulating an induction mixture of the MNCs with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or other mitogen and ciprofloxacin in a scalable cell culture device and producing a primary cell derived biologic from the MNCs, removing the mitogen from the induction mixture by filtering, incubating the induction mixture, clarifying the induction mixture by filtering to obtain a primary cell derived biologic supernatant, and clearing the primary cell derived biologic supernatant from adventitious agents by anion exchange chromatography, filtration. A closed system prevents contamination of the resulting primary cell derived biologic. An automated method of purifying cells.

Abstract: Dendritic cell subsets, and various methods of making and using same are provided. In particular, methods for making a defined subset of dendritic cells are provided.

Abstract: Methods for enhancing the production of interferons in animal cell culture are described. These methods rely on the manipulation of the cellular levels of certain inducers of interferon production, in particular cellular levels of double-stranded-RNA-dependent kinase (dsRNA-PKR, or PKR). In cell cultures that overproduce PKR, interferon synthesis is induced to high levels, and significant amounts of interferon can be recovered without conventional induction of interferon by virus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a purified and isolated nucleic acid encoding a camello protein. The present invention also provides a vector comprising nucleic acid encoding camello, a host cell transformed with the vector, and a method for producing recombinant camello protein. In addition, the present invention also provides a purified camello protein. Also provided by the present invention is nucleic acid probes and mixtures thereof specific for camello nucleic acid and antibodies immunoreactive with camello. The present invention also provides a methods for screening for agents which bind to the camello protein and the nucleic acid encoding the camello. Finally, the present invention provides a non-human, transgenic model for camello expression.

Abstract: Retroviral vectors which encode interferon alpha are disclosed. These canbe used to produce recombinant transduced cells. Both the vectors and the recombinant transduced cells can be used therapeutically. The cells can also be used to produce alpha interferon.

Abstract: Methods for enhancing the production of interferon in animal cell culture are described. These methods rely on the manipulation of the cellular levels of certain inducers of interferon production, in particular cellular levels of double-stranded-RNA-dependent kinase (dsRNA-PKR, or PKR). In cell cultures that overproduce PKR, interferon synthesis is induced to high levels, and significant amounts of interferon can be recovered without conventional induction of interferon by virus.

Abstract: Interferons represent an important class of biopharmaceutical products, which have a proven track record in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions, including the treatment of certain autoimmune diseases, the treatment of particular cancers, and the enhancement of the immune response against infectious agents. The present invention provides a new form of murine interferon-&agr;, which has applications in diagnosis and therapy.